Apocalypse Gachapon

Chapter 1519: Huge battle on the wilderness

Inside the pavilion atop the twin-bodied elephant, the scene had changed. Only the God Hallʼs Director and his female subordinate remained seated, while the others had vanished.

”Boss, why didnʼt you send me earlier? I shouldʼve been the most suitable to pin down Ye Zhongming.”

The woman wasnʼt strikingly beautiful, but her fair skin and large, lively eyes gave her an ethereal quality.

The Director gazed into the distance, seemingly unhurried.

”Our God Hall has been silent for too long. Itʼs time the world remembered us.”

Confusion filled the womanʼs eyes. She didnʼt understand her bossʼs meaning.

”Some things are better left unknown for now. Knowing might only bring despair.”

Accustomed to her bossʼs cryptic ways, the woman didnʼt press further. She finally understood why the Director—once obsessed with research—had recently shifted focus to personal power, frantically studying professions and skills, splurging on equipment and scrolls, even occasionally purchasing battle beasts despite the God Hallʼs self-sufficiency.

Perhaps this unspeakable matter had driven his choices.

”Ah Xiu.”
The Director suddenly called her name.

She looked up.

”If you were to take my place one day, could you handle it?”

”Me?!”

The question shocked her. Never had she considered this possibility.

”I couldnʼt!” Flustered, she waved her hands. ”Boss, youʼll always lead the God Hall!”

The Director smiled. His mask suddenly animated, expressions flickering across its surface. Ah Xiu gasped—she hadnʼt known the mask could do that. The series of surprises left her dazed.

”Hypothetically.” The Director pressed for an answer.

”If... if someone must succeed you, among your guards, Iʼm neither the strongest nor command the most forces. I lack technical knowledge—just an ordinary evolved. Iʼm the least qualified. Brother Tong Lu has the highest Soul Bond compatibility, formidable with Nether Tiger. Or Brother Silver—he understands technology and is powerful himself, having absorbed the most genes without rejection. Once fully assimilated, heʼd be our mightiest warrior. Actually, Brother Cheng Ou fits best—steady, mature, a rare perfect blend of defensive and support professions. With him, battles canʼt be lost. Heʼs well-liked, even friends with Dr. Ziche—they drink together often.”

She counted on her fingers.

”Dr. Ziche could too, though he seems uninterested in leading, content with research as long as itʼs funded. A true mad scientist.”

The Director chuckled and motioned her closer. She knelt beside his chair as he rested a hand on her head.

”They all seem more suitable than you, yet each has fatal flaws.” His gaze swept over the advancing army.

”Dr. Ziche aside—he simply doesnʼt want the position. Silver might become our greatest warrior, but remember, Ah Xiu, Iʼm a scientist too. Both Dr. Ziche and I believe our technology, while perhaps the worldʼs best currently, is far from perfect. Silver... canʼt break free from the Wheelʼs technological constraints. Maybe none of us ever will.”

Ah Xiu gasped, staring at her boss. The God Hall’s most promising technology—rejected by its creator?

”Not surprising. All science builds upon foundational knowledge. Why have we—Cloud Peak, top foreign labs—achieved such leaps post-apocalypse? Because Earthʼs science had already accumulated to a certain level. Add unlimited test subjects and zero ethical constraints, and here we are.”

”But compared to the Wheelʼs technology, ours is still primitive. We havenʼt surpassed it—at best, weʼve glimpsed the path. Silver is, at most, a prototype.”

Ah Xiu fell silent, her mind reeling.

She still didnʼt understand why her boss was telling her this. Was something happening to the God Hall? To him?

The immediate crisis was Ye Zhongmingʼs sudden appearance. Could this operation fail?

She didnʼt deny the King of Cloud Peakʼs strength, but against the combined might of three factions, countless eight-star evolved and level-eight battle beasts—even with three heads and six arms, he couldnʼt win.

Forced to deploy his forces in unfavorable terrain, heʼd face crushing defeat. Cloud Peak might even be wiped from the region.

She couldnʼt fathom her bossʼs apparent fear.

Unperturbed by her expression, the Director continued, ”Tong Lu is too reckless and glory-seeking. The first to engage Ye Zhongming shouldʼve been us veterans—like in games, not seeking solo kills, just stalling for reinforcements.”

”But in this world, neither Wen Yan, the Great Chairman, nor I wanted to be first. Why? Too dangerous! None wanted to face the King of Cloud Peak at full strength, all preferring to follow and reap benefits, even at the cost of underlings. When someone had to go, we were going to draw lots—until Tong Lu volunteered. What does that tell you? He wanted to prove he could match Ye Zhongming, maybe even dreamed of killing him for fame. Such men make decent officers but terrible commanders—theyʼll get everyone killed.”